This invention relates to light piping displays, and more particularly to light piping displays having flexible shock absorbing edge lighting means for improved light transmission to the display panel, and especially to such displays having edge lighting means of exceedingly small transverse dimension. The invention permits the formation of displays which appear to be almost magically lighted.
By practice of the invention, a multitude of novel light piping displays may be formed with but nominal and almost insignificant border areas. Vehicles may be decorated with unique displays or signs which are edge-lighted from the normal low voltage source such as 12 volts characteristic of vehicles. The invention permits the manufacture of bug shields of unique display features for automobiles. Curved and flat panels of light piping material may be employed for displays according to the invention. Perimeter edges of the light piping panels for the displays of the invention may assume a wide variety of forms. The perimeter edges may define different letters of the alphabet, or special shapes as desired. The edges themselves may serve as the light-scattering design visually apparent to a viewer, with the body of the panel serving as the light piping medium. Additionally, however, the body of the panel which serves as the light piping medium may have a surface roughened or otherwise altered to create light-scattering and thereby provide a light-scattering design entirely within the perimeter edges of the panel. Light-scattering panels of material different from the panel of light piping material may be employed.
The edge lighting source according to the teachings of the invention is flexible and readily conformable for linearly and nudgingly contiguous placement along a portion (or along the entirety) of the perimeter edge of the transparent panel of light piping material, whether the perimeter edge is straight or is irregular. The edge may be scalloped or curved either in a direction transverse to the panel or parallel with the panel of light piping material.
Flexible light sources have been known for well over 30 years, as for example illustrated in Etzkorn U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,113 of 1953. The flexible light sources have also been improved over the last 30 years. Light piping displays have of course been heretofore proposed, and are extremely old, but none heretofore known have provided the exceedingly compact and versatile edge lighting and resulting versatility of visual effect made possible by the teachings of this invention. Insofar as known, no one has heretofore remotely suggested or discovered the benefits of nudging a flexible light string against a light-receiving edge in the formation of a light piping display.